History:
The Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries (SWGSM)
was founded in 1985 in Los Fresnos, Texas, to provide assistance
to hundreds of people in need, especially the Central American political
refugees, Cubans, and individuals from other countries in political
turmoil. SWGSM is now a member institution of the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest Region. SWGSM has a board
of directors, and its bylaws have been incorporated with the State
of Texas. In 2004, SWSM moved to its new site in Bayview, Texas.
SWGSM is supported by:
- Congregations and individuals;
- The Southwest Region;
- Areas of the Southwest Region;
- Southwest Hispanic Convention;
- Latin American and the Caribbean Office, Division of Overseas Ministries;
- Refugee and Immigration Ministries, Disciples Home Missions.
It is often difficult for the average American to imagine the cross a refugee must bear. As a former refugee from Cuba, I can personally relate to the perils of those fleeing terrorism or political persecution. It all started back in my beloved Cuba when Fidel Castro seized power in 1959. Immediately came a period of hate, horrible persecution, and implanted terror. The jails were too small for the many thousands incarcerated for no reason, and the execution of a prisoner was as common as drinking a glass of water. Most church leaders and pastors were jailed in concentration camps and exposed to terrible tortures just for proclaiming the Gospel.
I was condemned to 2 years of hard labor and then sent to a concentration camp for 18 months. I felt misery, hunger, and deprivation. I was forced to drink contaminated water and tortured; but only by the grace of God I did not loose my sanity. Then I was accused of being a spy for the CIA and stood before a firing squad. I thought it was all over, but suddenly in the midst of my prayer surrendering my life to Christ, a miracle happened! I heard the captain of the firing squad yell to me, "You have 60 seconds to disappear from this place!". I did!
Still hard times followed, but again by the grace of God, I found myself in the United States. Here I experienced the verse that has become the inspiration and thriving force of this ministry.
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me". Mathew 25: 35 - 36
Pastor, Feliberto Pereira
- Provides a ministry of hospitality to political refugees and asylees;
- Distributes Disciples' rice—it comes by truckloads from the Coastal Plains Area;
- Distributes Disciples' beans—it comes by truckloads from the Hi-Plains Area;
- Distributes health kits, layettes, and school kits;
- Distributes toys and clothing from the North Texas Area's Mike's Kids;
- Provides temporary housing for refugees and asylees;
- Distributes medicine and clothing;
- Helps asylum seekers get legal assistance;
- Helps persons released from the nearby immigration detention center travel to join their relatives and friends in other parts of the country;
- Coordinates mission trips for congregations;
- Coordinates Disciples outreach to the poor in the lower Rio Grande Valley;
- Coordinates Disciples outreach to an orphanage in Mexico
- Coordinates Disciples outreach to colonias in Mexico.